I. Technical Field
This invention relates to remotely accessible games and the promotion and marketing of products. More particularly, this invention relates to the use of an internet gaming system accessed using information received through the purchase of products.
II. Background Art
Over the years, a wide variety of games and contests have been used to promote the sale of goods and services. For the purposes of this application, goods and services are collectively referred to as "product(s)" herein. Typically, a game or contest encourages consumers to purchase a particular product by giving the consumer a game piece or game token with each purchase. Generally, the possession of a particular game piece, or the correct combination of game pieces, will entitle the consumer to the receipt of a prize. Thus, the consumer is encouraged to purchase additional products to obtain additional chances to receive the winning game piece, or to collect additional pieces needed to complete a set of winning game pieces. Such game systems seek to generate excitement and enthusiasm amongst consumers of a particular product, generate additional sales of a product, and obtain new customers. One difficulty and danger with this approach is that it generates a win or lose attitude. After several purchases, none of which result in a win, the promotion can actually work in reverse. The purchase of a product equates to a negative game result in the mind of the consumer, with receipt of a losing game piece resulting in either the loss of a customer or in a customer making fewer purchases.
Furthermore, after using such a promotional tool several times, the uniqueness of the game wears off and interest dies out. Also, the promotional success of such games is largely determined by the value of the prizes available, in that more valuable prizes tend to generate more consumer enthusiasm for the game than do less valuable prizes. The actual participation in such games may offer some excitement, as in the collection and maintaining of a set of game pieces, but offers little positive feedback for consumers as the game progresses. Recognizing this shortcoming, some companies have guaranteed prizes with each purchase. For example, fast food restaurants generally offer a toy with the purchase of certain child-oriented meals. In such situations the sales can rise or fall depending upon whether your particular toy is in greater demand than the toys being distributed by other fast food vendors. Also, parents often try to avoid these purchases due to a proliferation of small, mostly useless, toys that end up broken, lost or, at best, cluttering the entire home.
Other promotions offer collector type items with the purchase of a threshold amount of products. For example, a twelve (12) ounce drinking glass imprinted with an NFL team logo with the purchase of 10 gallons of gas or more. Once again, while the initial promotion may be interesting, one can only collect so many glasses or other such items until the offer fails to motivate customers to make additional purchases.
In each of these situations the promotion is based upon the end product or the give away. For this reason the aforementioned problems occur and the promotions fail to involve the purchaser to any significant degree. Furthermore, the need to develop, manufacture, ship and distribute promotional items is always a challenge, and failing to have an anticipated item available is detrimental to customer relations. Accordingly, the need exists for a gaming system that is sufficiently entertaining that the opportunity to participate in the game alone encourages consumers to purchase products. In the subject invention this may be accomplished by utilizing the internet.
The internet is frequently used as a media in which to advertise and promote certain products. Promotion on the internet presently takes two major forms. First, companies or products may have their own "website" wherein the virtues of a company and its products are put forth to the potential consumer. To encourage website activity the sites are generally advertised or listed on a company's products. Alternatively, websites can be creatively developed in order to maximize the likelihood that the website will be cited when certain key words are used to search on one of the many available internet search engines. Second, a product may be advertised on other websites. For example, numerous websites exist which are frequently accessed by potential consumers for entertainment or educational purposes, and an advertisement placed on these websites (typically for a fee) may be successful in prompting a consumer to purchase a particular product. Such advertisements may be likened to similar advertisements in print, television or radio. When using this type of advertising the primary issue is the number of "hits" a particular site receives. Of equal importance, but generally less available, is the demographics of those who use the site.
By acquiring information about a particular product's purchasers one can make better informed and therefore more successfull advertising decisions. This can be accomplished by comparing product and advertising demographics to target specific groups likely to become purchasers.
While website advertising and demographic studies are well known in the art, they have not been utilized in combination with a remote access game and product marketing tool.
The subject invention overcomes many of the problems encountered with other promotional games and utilizes the internet and demographic information gathering to achieve a comprehensive system not previously obtainable.